Hrithik shares his food philosophy

That he’s a foodie comes as a surprise. Hrithik Roshan is known more for his vigorous training sessions, for his Greek God-like body and for his strict diet regime. So when he says he binges at least once a week, it comes as a relief for us lesser mortals. He can eat two pizzas at a time all by himself. Incredible! Yes the superhero has weakness for good food! And it’s good to hear that he reaches out for brownies, peanut butter and nachos when he’s on an eating spree. Like all mama’s boys, he calls his mother, Pinky Roshan, the best cook in the world. Hrithik Roshan states you can eat everything as long as it’s in moderation. Read on…

My food philosophy is simple. I eat every three hours and I eat a balanced meal. I’m particular about what I eat. I have a timetable. I eat only when I’m required to eat. You’re going to hear the same old things from me. About how we should eat healthy. But no one follows it. If you really want to do something about your diet then be serious. Stop eating fried food. At least do that one thing to begin with.

I eat only when I’m required to eat. The truth is that when I have food inside me, I think better. I feel stronger and I last longer on my feet. We make a huge mistake when we starve ourselves. We forget to eat and then we take pride in saying that I haven’t eaten for eight hours. It’s the most foolish thing in the world. Because if you have food in your stomach, you have fuel and you work better. I’ve realised if you want to get better at something all you have to is to follow the simple rule – eat regularly.

I am a food-a-holic. I can enjoy food because there are long spells where I follow a strict diet. So when I am not on diet, I enjoy food. Then I’ll have a pizza twice a week. I can have two large pizzas all by myself. No one can eat more than me when I binge. I love halwa so I binge on it. I have all kinds of desserts. But even when you’re binging you should be conscious of what you’re doing. As long as you’re eating in moderation, you can maintain your shape. It’s okay to binge once in a while. But remember, moderation is the key.

I love Indian food. So when I indulge, it’s mostly on Indian food. Dal, chawal, chicken, mutton, all vegetables made Indian style. After that I love Italian, Mexican and Chinese cuisine. I don’t visit restaurants very often. But when I do, I don’t stop myself. I’m the one that finishes last on the table. I polish off every bit of food on it.

Foods I binge on:

1. I can have two pizzas in one go 2. Peanut butter also features in my must-have list3. My high metabolism helps me gorge on nachos 4. Brownies can be had in moderation

Whenever I eat out, I follow the chef’s recommendation. That’s the easiest way to enjoy your stuff. Otherwise, I get confused reading the menu because I want everything on it. If a dish has too much oil, I request the chef to go easy on it. That’s one of the perks of being a star. The chef will make a dish especially for you according to your taste. My favourite restaurant is Nido. It’s a friend’s restaurant and has opened recently. I love the food there. Every single thing on the menu is outstanding. I can never get enough of it. It’s simply delicious.

I binge once, sometimes twice a week. But I started binging only after I finished my 10 week programme with my trainer. Where I trained extensively and was on a planned diet. I lost all the weight I had put on after Guzaarish. I developed muscle. After 10 weeks my metabolism was at its peak. After that I was allowed to binge once a week. Look at what I have now. It could be anything - pizza, mush with chocolate sauce, nachos, sushi, pancakes, peanut butter, brownies, spaghetti bolognaise, cheese… insane. If you pass the first stage of diet and exercise, the world is open for you. It’s no more a sacrifice. Maybe the first 10 weeks you have to sacrifice a bit. But it seems like a sacrifice because you are so used to an abnormal diet.

My diet on most days is simple. It consists of a meal every three hours which includes 100gm-120 gm protein, one cup of rice, a lot of broccoli, bell peppers. Through the day, the rice is replaced with potato, the meat changes to eggs, chicken or fish and the rest of the plate is filled with vegetables.

Unfortunately, I can’t cook I have never got the opportunity to cook. But I respect people who can. To me cooking is an art form, it’s meditation. I feel inspired when I see someone cook. My mom, I believe, is the best cook in the world. She makes great Indian khana. I love everything she cooks. She makes the best bread pudding. She’s been making it for me since I was four. It’s so yummy, my mouth’s watering just talking about it. She also makes great caramel custard. Though mom keeps busy, whenever she gets the chance, she gets into the kitchen. It feels good to eat food prepared by her. It brings back sweet memories of my childhood escapades.

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